In Hontanas, a little pilgrim village on the meseta

Here again at last...this computer is very slow and the settings are a little funny so I will be short. I am in Hontanas, a little pilgrim village in the middle of the meseta which is between Burgos and Castrojeriz. Since I last wrote the weather has been much the same. Cold and grey in the mornings, which bush walkers know, can be good walking weather; and very rainy as well most evenings and on several sections of the Camino. The problem with rain is that most of the Camino is VERY muddy and the weight of our boots increases by at least 2 kilos as a result....but it is preferable to walk in mud than on miles of concrete or asphalt....when that happens, I can feel every little bone in my feet and all the other joints being used. I am now walking a little faster, doing an average of about 18 to 22 km a day, fairly comfortably. My main problem has not been the dreaded blisters, which most people have. or are recovering from; but insect bites which are so very itchy. I guess that this is MI CAMINO. Everyday I walk through beautiful countryside and little Spanish villages which appear to be mostly abandoned; or at least have very few people living in them. As it has rained almost daily on the Camino, everything is very, very green and the Spanish wheat crop is looking very healthy indeed. I guess that is not good news for Australian wheat farmers. The fields look like huge rolling velvet carpets of various shades of green and in places are almost as tall as I am. Of course the little red poppies pop up everywhere along the way. That is all for now....as I am hearing rumblings of pilgrims wanting to go on to the net. Clarisa Peregrina